The importance of getting digital consciousness right

Abstract

We may soon develop digital minds that act like humans. Because we have no consensus about what makes a mind conscious, society may mistakenly think these digital minds are conscious, which could lead to a future where most advanced consciousness consists of machines without phenomenal experiences or subjective feelings. Additionally, the easiest ways to create minds that appear conscious may not actually create minds that are truly conscious. If society incorrectly believes that many apparent digital minds are genuinely conscious, it could lead to moral and legal quandaries, as well as societal pressure to treat these digital minds as if they had human-level rights. Avoiding this requires society to reach a consensus on what makes a mind conscious before apparent digital minds become popular. – AI-generated abstract.